


House Artemesia

by CelesteMoriarty



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV), Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Attempt at Humor, Cliffhangers, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Humor, I'm writing this story because it makes me happy, M/M, Magic, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Original Character, Romance, Swearing, Vampires, Werewolves, a bit of violence because drama, character list will also expand, hopefully you will also enjoy it !, not beta read we die like men, this is my first time be gentle, will tag as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24310459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelesteMoriarty/pseuds/CelesteMoriarty
Summary: "Welcome to our world, Alessandro."The world isn't quite as you imagine. Hidden among us are magical beings, capable of seeing the invisible, conquering fate, and changing the rules of the game. Here, no letter to invite you to enter this world: you will dive head first, and then a vampire will show up at your door with a proposal.----House Artemesia is an original story, with original characters. It is inspired by many works, especially by Harry Potter and Teen Wolf. In this story, you will follow the views of different characters, discovering that the world is larger than they originally believed, and that magic isn't only found in books.





	1. The cat, who woke up last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello !
> 
> I hope you will like this little universe I created! English isn't my first language, but I will do my best (you can find this story in french too, just check my profile!)
> 
> I must warn you in advance: the POV will change by chapter. You will follow lots of characters, to have a global view of the whole story!
> 
> But if you go back to the beginning, this is how it all starts: with a croissant, wine, and blue eyes.

Alessandro wondered if he was an early bird by choice or by survival instinct.

A look at his alarm told him that it was not even eight o'clock yet. The summer sun was already peeking through the curtains, lighting up his room. It felt as if he was outside: he forgot to close the shutters the day before.

He sighed and, after a few minutes of rest, finally got out of bed. There was already noise downstairs: the adults must already be up, and probably having breakfast. He was going to have to wait until they were done before going downstairs: he really didn't want to eat with them, not this morning.

His stomach w as offended by his choice, but he did not give in, and preferred to start dressing. Honestly, it was much better than experiencing an icy atmosphere and burning complaints upon waking up.

There was a knock on the door, and he put on his t-shirt before opening the door.

Andrea was there, already fully dressed and ready for her day. She had an amused smile on her lips. "Hello Princess, did you sleep well?"

Given the pain in the back of his head, and the four poor hours of sleep he managed to get last night, he wasn’t sure he should be telling the truth. "Like a baby ?"

She snorted. "I thought so."

He massaged his temple, before a sweet smell came to tickle his nose. Now that he was paying attention, his big sister had her hands hidden behind her back, and he felt intrigued. "What are you hiding?"

The young woman laughs before revealing her secret: a brown bag, typical of bakeries. He could already smell the delicious smell of pastries trapped in their paper cage. His stomach growled in response. “You are a saint. Thank you."

He didn’t wait a second to bite into the offering. It was cold, but it was the best croissant he had eaten in his life, and he made sure to tell her. Before his sister could go back downstairs, presumably to greet her parents, he stopped her "Aren't you going to be in trouble ?"

She winked. "They didn’t see me. I bought it yesterday. "

She disappeared down the stairs, and he closed the door. He needed to thank her later for that. Maybe he could buy her something nice. 

He sat back on his bed to eat, and savored those few moments to stop thinking, focusing on what he was feeling instead. The mattress under his thighs, the buttery croissant on his tongue, his breathing. He counted to 100, once his meal was finished, and then left his room to go to the bathroom and finish getting ready.

Before navigating between the rooms, he would always stop, and wait a few moments, his ear carefully focused towards the stairs. Once he was sure the way was clear, he locked himself in his room again.

It was not really by choice: if he could, he would have preferred spending his time outside, given the beautiful weather he could see from his window. But no, he was not allowed to leave the house without permission - or rather, without good reason.

Suffice to say that he did not go out much during his summer vacation.

He could have spent time with his half sisters, Andrea and Marie (who was probably still asleep right now), but ... Their parents didn’t like that either.

_ You understand ... You could have a bad influence on them. Nobody wants that, huh? _

Alessandro shook his head slightly, chasing away his dark thoughts, and got up to go to sit at his desk. He took out one of his favorite books, Marina by Zafon, and started reading. He had already read it a thousand times, but there was something special about this book. It had been the first book to really scare him. And the images painted by the author were not that horrible: he had seen worse on TV.

No, it was the raw side, the grotesque innocence, the implacable Greek tragedy, which  had moved something in his soul the first time he read it.

He would have liked to be able to forget it, to discover it all over again.

Alessandro did not turn around when the door to his room opened. He took a moment to write down one of the quotes he liked.

_ “We don't find the truth, boy. She is the one who finds us. ” _

The door closed, and he resumed reading.

Four hours later, Marie knocked on his door to tell him it was time to eat, and he closed his book. He opened the door again, and hugged the small girl - sure, she was 12 years old already, and she was no longer so small - in his arms to say hello as usual. She was beaming, and he knew she was in a good mood this morning. He hoped she had sweet dreams.

"Hello Ales!"

He smiled softly and hugged her again. "Hello Marie."

They went down to the dining room together, talking about everything and nothing in a low voice. Alessandro helped set the table while Andrea finished preparing food. And finally, once everything was ready, the adults appeared, to place themselves at the ends of the table, and they all started eating. Alessandro kept his eyes on the table, on his plate, or on the plate of the person who spoke to him.

(Even if, to be honest,  _ nobody _ was talking to him at the table.)

It was better than looking at them directly.

At least, he had to admit that Andrea was a great cook, and that helped make the meal lighter for him. He listened vaguely to the conversation, rather immersed in his thoughts -something about a lunch?-, when his father surprised him.

"Alexander."

His heart sank. His tone forced him to look the man in the eyes.

"Yes, Father?"

"You will come with us tomorrow."

What?

"With you ?"

His father impatiently tapped his fingers on the table. "For lunch with the Edwards."

Alessandro was confused. Usually, he was not really invited to the family's political meals.

"They insisted that you should not be left alone." Her mother-in-law pursed her lips, visibly dissatisfied with this arrangement.

He looked back at his plate. He only saw contempt in his eyes. Under the table, Andrea put her hand on his. He held it tight immediately, grateful. "Okay."

There really wasn't anything else to say, right ? Will I do my best not to ruin everything? Sorry that your partner is so nice? Thanks for the meal ?

Thank goodness the rest of the day was not as tense as the end of the meal, Alessandro doesn't know how he would have survived otherwise. No, the adults left him alone, and he was able to watch Sleeping Beauty with Marie, hidden in the youngest's bedroom.

\---------

The restaurant was pretty classy, he had to admit, but that didn't reassure him much.

White tablecloths, a wine list almost longer than the dishes’, flowers everywhere and classical music in the background. He wondered if the cutlery was actual silver, because it would have been perfect.

They took two tables outside, to fully appreciate of the beautiful temperatures of the end of summer. He was not sure that it was an good choice, given that the table of "children" - Andrea, Marie, the daughter and the son of Edwards and him- wasn’t protected from the sun at all. He wasn’t worried about sunburns given his skin, but he feared for his sisters, who tended to quickly redden under the burning caresses of the star.

Especially at noon.

But honestly, he was having a good meal.

The food was good (even if the portions were barely enough to fill the stomach, especially for someone who was growing, and there were ingredients in the dishes he didn't even know), and the conversation easy with other children.

He learned that Andrea and Marie were going to spend the night at the Edwards’, in a sleepover, but he politely refused when they asked for him to come with them- it wasn’t a good idea, and he wasn’t comfortable sleeping with people he didn't really know). Before the meal was completely over, Alessandro excused himself to go to the bathroom.

He should have known that this meal was not going to be that easy. He wondered if somewhere, someone or something (fate, maybe karma) had decided that he was going to suffer all his life.

It was a good start anyway.

When he got out of the bathroom, he ran quite hard into a waiter who was hidden by the door.

Waiter who was holding a bottle of red wine.

Bottle that had just exploded on the ground, spreading a red ocean on the floor.

He was so dead that he stood there without moving for two seconds, or saying anything. Alessandro was not the kind of guy that would cry easily, but he could already feel tears in his eyes, and his chest was so tight that he didn't even know if he was breathing anymore.

".. Sorry ... It wasn't ..." He bent down, but he had nothing to wipe it down, and the floor was / white / and the wood was absorbing the wine and ...

His father was rigid and  _ very very angry. _ He hated him. He knew it. He pressed his lips and returned his gaze to the floor -

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't watch where I was going!"

A female voice made him look up.

A woman with short brown hair was talking to the waiter. She was well dressed, in a blouse and fitted skirt, but he didn’t know where she came from. He hadn't seen her before.

"I should have been more careful ... I hadn't seen this young man at all! Really, I'm confused, I'm not usually that clumsy, I promise!"

Her voice was weird. He almost ... wanted to close his eyes and keep listening to her.

She then turned to face him, with a sorry smile, reaching out to help him get up. "Are you all right, boy?"

The stranger was beautiful, even gorgeous, and he wasn’t even interested in girls to begin with. Her hair was longer in front, reaching down to her collarbones, and carefully braided. She had a slim, ageless face. She looked young, but he was unable to say whether she was a very well preserved 40, or a young 20.

As their eyes met, as his hand took hers, something unlocked in his chest.

It was like a ‘pop’, an exploding bubble, a return to the surface after spending too long underwater.

When he looked at her again, obvious things appeared to him. This person was  _ calm, worried _ , but  _ confident  _ in her abilities. She knew what she was doing, she came with a goal. The waiter was  _ charmed _ , even if a small part of his mind remained  _ worried _ and  _ panicked _ .

The stranger help him up without problem, and once standing Alessandro realized that she wasn’t very tall: he would be taller than her, without her stilettos. "I’m fine, thank you ..."

However, he knew very well that she had  **not** pushed him, or even touched him during the collision: he was sure that there was no one behind him, when he had hit the server.

He was certainly not going to say that out loud. He would thank her later for her gesture, if he had the opportunity.

"No, madam, it's nothing, don't worry, it was just an accident, you, you don't have to pay anything." explained the server, tripping a bit over his words.

The woman smiles gently. "Are you sure? I don't mind."

The waiter shook his head quickly, his cheeks red before fleeing to the kitchens, probably to get something to clean up. She turned to him, and he tried to calm his nerves, but he still felt panic in the back of his mind. It was hard to think clearly. "Thank you .. Thank you so much. You didn't have to ..."

She waved away his worries without losing her smile. "It's nothing."

Alessandro continued on to his table after a moment's hesitation, and looked up at his father.

_ Shame, anger, regret, hatred. _

_ If only he hadn't had this kid. _

His heart hurt so much, and he felt tears rising again.

What the fuck was going on?!

What were all these thoughts in his head?!

"I'll escort you to your table." The stranger put her hand on his shoulder blade and encouraged him to walk forward, soft but unyielding. She wasn’t smiling anymore, she seemed more  _ reserved _ and  _ worried _ . That was how he felt it anyway. And a bit of  _ anger _ , but it wasn’t directed towards him.

He wanted to tell her that it was useless - they were not going to believe her, they had all seen the scene, she was just going to embarrass herself in front of everyone -, but the words stayed stuck in his throat and before he could react, they were facing his father, his mother-in-law and their friends, who would surely have preferred not to be in the middle of this mess.

The atmosphere was  _ heavy _ , to say the least.

The young woman was wearing a polite smile on her face. "I wanted to apologize for the inconvenience caused to your son."

Her father raised an eyebrow. "I’m sorry?"

He absolutely did not believe her. She didn’t seem fazed at all.

And .. it happened again. Her voice was getting weird again.

"I tripped over your son, which caused the incident. I am the only person responsible. He didn’t do anything wrong. He was actually very helpful."

And all of them.

Everyone at the table, he knew it.

They all completely believed her.

Within seconds, the feelings that his father gave off - _ so strong, so negative _ \- changed. He became  _ calm _ ,  _ interested _ , even if the  _ regret _ remained present. Their friends were even  _ impressed _ and  _ proud _ of him.

He didn't understand, and looked stunned at the stranger. She simply winked at him, before politely refusing their invitation to join them at the table.

She turned around and he went back to sit down, his legs carrying him there without him thinking about it. He felt Andrea dead with worry for him, but he quickly reassured her. He didn't think ... that this incident would have consequences. Something abnormal had happened.

He looked up to see the woman joining a young girl at the front of the restaurant, younger than Marie. They left the restaurant together, without having ordered anything.

When they returned home, he received no complaints. No punishment, no getting locked up in his room, or threats of withdrawing meals.

His sisters had left with the Edwards, and his father let him cook whatever he wanted in the kitchen, as long as he left it sparkly clean afterwards.

When he went to bed, the light finally turned off, he was still lost. He felt like the whole day had been a weird dream, like he was Alice and exploring the back of the mirror.

Alessandro didn't know if he wanted to go back to the other side.

He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep: it was late.

  
  


And then, he heard footsteps on the roof above him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger ! -sorry not sorry- 
> 
> It's time we start to talk about magic, right ?


	2. Night visit, or how to give a 15 year old kid a heart attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, we change our point of view for this chapter!
> 
> In summary: A break and enter, a melodious voice and doors that open.

The light had just gone out.

High up in a tree, Halloween stared at the Stanlords' house, thoughtful.

She took a moment to close her eyes and focus on just  _ listening _ . She could hear the sound of the wind in the trees, of some animals coming out under the cover of the night, of distant and isolated cars. The forest behind her was waking up, as humans gradually fell asleep.

Watching over them, the full moon silently lit up the little hamlet.

Chizu's voice, at the foot of the tree, brought her out of her thoughts. "Are they sleeping?"

She didn't have to make an effort to hear it, at least. Even if the child was just whispering, a few meters down, the young woman perceived her voice as if she were by her side.

Which she wasn’t, obviously. She was not going to let a child climb so high in a tree, it was just asking for trouble.

_ Do as I say, not as I do. _

“You're overestimating me a little there! I'm too far to hear their hearts”, she mused aloud. “In any case, I don't think he's asleep. ”

The parents had gone to bed much earlier. She didn’t like making guesses, but they were probably sleeping. She was going to have to come and see them anyway, to make sure they wouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night. It would still be a shame, right? She didn't like being interrupted, especially when she had important things to discuss.

She also knew the girls weren't there tonight. That’s why they chose to come, after all.

"We should go then."

Halloween leaned over, almost on the verge of falling from her perch, to look at Chizu below. Brown eyes, almost garnet in the pale moonlight, met hers. Chizu didn't express anything on her face, as usual. No joy, no surprise, just a void, very unusual for a child his age. Feeling her worries, the little girl gave her a small smile, even if it didn’t change the expression in her eyes.

Halloween smiles back.

She dropped without another word, and landed softly on the ground, absorbing the impact of her fall without trouble. She rubbed her shorts quickly, to remove small pieces of wood and dirt from the fabric. Her heels were sinking a little into the soft earth, but she could still walk effortlessly.

"Are you sure it's him? Because well, if we have to break in, it has to be justified. ”

Could breaking into someone's home be justified? Especially in the middle of the night, while the occupants were cradled by the gentle muscular arms of Morpheus?

Halloween liked to think so.

She lifted the child, letting her sit in the crook of her left arm. Even though Chizu was already 9 years old, she weighed no more than a feather. "Yes. He had his awakening earlier in the restaurant. You saw how he looked at you. ”

Halloween laughed. "Your mean he made a nasty face when he saw me, right!"

Chizu shrugged. "I think too many things were happening at once. He was overwhelmed."

She hummed her agreement and set off.

She hid swiftly their bodies into the shadows, advancing without showing the slightest fatigue despite her load. Everyone had to be asleep at that point, but you could never be careful enough. The neighbors could be  _ voyeurs _ , for all she knew. The curfew was far due, especially for small children like Chizu. 

Alessandro slept upstairs, his window facing the forest just behind his house. His parents were on the same floor, but on the street side. Everything was closed except the bathroom window, which was also upstairs, under the eaves.

After all, no one would show up on the roof to enter a house, even to rob it!

No one except Halloween, obviously. Heh.

She climbed on the railing of the terrace, on the windowsill, clung to the gutter, and within seconds, she was standing on the roof and walking on the tiles. Her steps were almost silent, but for someone awake, just below them, they were audible.

Especially with her heels.

Oh, she knew Alessandro was definitely awake. His heart rate was not slow and deep, like his parents’. No, he was alert, and probably confused and scared. Halloween winced. At least her entrance was going to be noticed.

She opened the window as big as possible, and let Chizu slide out of her arms, right into the bathtub. The bathroom was not that big, so she waited for the little one to go further before getting in herself.

She pointed to Chizu, then to the floor. The child nodded, and Halloween left for the parents' room. There was no light under Alessandro's door but she could hear him near the door, probably listening in, ear glued to the wood.

She entered the master bedroom. It was absolute darkness, save for the digital clock, but she could see like in broad daylight. The matrimonial bed was directly opposite to her. Although they slept together, the couple were clearly separated: Miss with her back turned away from Mister’s. She chooses to start with her.

She approached silently, and leaned down until her lips almost touched Ms. Stanlord's ear. Her hand held her braid to prevent it from touching the woman. She took a moment to breathe and focus. Her vision clouded slightly as she closed her eyes. She felt like she was floating.

She blinked once, before whispering. “You are in a deep sleep. Your sleep is pleasant. Even if you hear noises, you don't want to wake up. You know everything is finel. Your husband sleeps by your side. Your son is sleeping in his room. You will sleep until your alarm rings. Your sleep will be peaceful. The night will be peaceful. Nothing will happen tonight. ”

She straightened up and shook her head a little to get out of this mini-trance. She had no doubts about her abilities: her victim would not wake up. Her tongue pressed against her teeth for a moment, as a precaution. No, everything was normal.

She repeated her actions with the husband, before leaving the room, gently closing the door after her.

She stayed still for a moment, once the door was closed. From what she had observed, Alessandro had not been punished for the little accident at lunch, which was a good thing, but she couldn't help but be worried about the boy and how he was being treated at home.

That’s why she insisted on coming earlier than planned.

She continued on her way.

Chizu was still waiting in the bathroom, sitting quietly against the tub. Halloween invited her to follow her, and they walked together to Alessandro's room.

The young boy was right behind the door, but he was no longer stuck to it in order to listen and figure out what was going on. A wise choice. He didn’t move, his breathing fast, just like his pulse. He wasn’t relaxed, that was for sure.

She might as well start right away, and avoid beating around the bush: she didn't want him to scream, or panic. 

“Alessandro? Can you hear me ? My name is Halloween. I met you this afternoon. You ran into a waiter. ”

The first step was to give him some context. It was better, right? This is how you shoduld start in letters, if she remembered correctly. Who I am, where we met, and finally, the purpose of my letter.

Ah, the purpose of my visit.

"I have powers, like you. I'm here to talk to you about it. “

She kept her eyes fixed on the door, on him. He was not standing still, but she understood why.

She turned her head towards Chizu, who was patiently waiting in the middle of the corridor. She whispered her next question to her. "Does he feel my emotions through the door? Or does he need a visual link? ”

The child shrugged. Obviously, she did not know. Besides, Chizu needed to see the person for her gift to work. She was in the dark right now.

In more than one way, ah. 

Oh no, that pun was just bad. Especially since it was not the time nor place to make jokes to begin with. A corridor in the middle of the night wasn’t the best to have this conversation, but their options for approaching the young man and isolating him from his parents enough to have a real discussion were pretty limited.

They had waited a good week, and he had only been out once. Always accompanied, and never alone in the house either. That hadn't left them with many options.

Usually, they did this in broad daylight in a more open area.

She sighed. She was going to have to find a way to gain his trust. She hoped the lunch incident would help him see that she didn't want to hurt him.

Finally, Alessandro decided to answer. "I don't know what you’re talking about."

His pulse accelerated. Ah, a little white lie, but she was expecting it.

She was progressing. The discussion was now open.

“You know exactly how the others feel. You can see their emotions clearly, as if they were screaming "I'm angry! I'm sad ! I trust you !"." She glanced at Chizu to make sure her words she wasn’t making any mistake; the child nodded her to continue. “Even if these feelings are hidden, you can perceive them. And you are never wrong. That makes you an empath. ”

Technically, a level 2 empath. Other people's emotions didn't affect him, he was just able to identify them. Level 1 empaths were less fortunate on that side, since they sometimes can’t distinguish their emotions from others’. Emotion sponges, as they say. She had already seen Eleonore, usually able to keep a iron grip on her emotions, get upset and hurt someone in a fit of rage after accidentally absorbing someone's hatred.

The boy had been lucky.

“An empath? What? ”

He was probably talking to himself, but she decided to answer anyway. "This is how people like you are called."

A silence. He had stopped moving.

"Are you also an empath?"

Halloween swayed, shifting her weight from her heels to the tips of her feet. "No. But I know some people who are empaths. ”

She could feel some movement behind the door. "Are you here to lock me up?"

Honestly, she understood his concerns, surely more than anyone, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling. “No, I just came to speak to you.”

He must have felt she was telling the truth. Apparently he could see it even through the door. It wasn’t bad at all! The young woman waited patiently, listening to the young man drag the heavy object he had used to block the door. A chair, if she had to guess. Thank god she put the parents to sleep, otherwise that would have woke them up. A glance towards the bedroom confirmed their unconsciousness.

The door finally opened, and Halloween turned all of her attention back to the newcomer. Eyes like a winter sky, still full of suspicion - but also of curiosity - met hers, and she smiled softly at the curly haired boy to greet him.

"It's good to see you again, Alessandro."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Alessandro will take over for the next chapter!


	3. You're a wizard, Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alessandro is back!
> 
> Chapter 3: a secret discussion, Nosferatu, and a book.
> 
> Enjoy !

Okay. It seemed like she was indeed the person he had just met this afternoon. That was a good thing. He made his assumptions based entirely on her voice, and he wasn’t very sure of himself...

Especially that he would never have remember the voice of a stranger under normal circumstances.

But her voice ... It flowed right over you like a river, ricocheting off small pebbles when she laughed.

He didn't know how a voice could sound like this, but that was the closest image he could think of. It was weird, and it was making him on edge. He felt like he should be careful around her.

When their eyes met, he could finally read what she was feeling, just like she had explained to him.

_ Calm. Curiosity. Restraint. Sincerity. A hint of fun. _

Not a single trace of nervousness, unlike him. They maintened eyes locked for several moments, as he listened for any sound coming from the master bedroom. He could hear his father snoring. Okay, he must have been alive, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to do his usual imitation of a landmower.

He wanted to say "too bad", but he wasn’t that cruel.

Alessandro looked away first, and stepped away from the door. "Come in."

The woman's heels snapped on the floor as she crossed the threshold. "Thank you." She sat directly on the chair he had just put back next to his desk, and winked at him when she met his eyes.

Hmpf.

He almost jumped when the little girl came out of the shadows to enter the room. Where did she come from ? Was she in the hallway from the start? He frowned, watching her as she sat on a cushion on the floor.

_ Calm _ .

He closed the door. He wasn’t sure how to start the conversation. Might as well check everything that had been said first, now that he had them in front of him. "... do I really have powers?"

The woman seemed surprised, like she wasn’t exepcting that question. She looked at the door, frowning a bit, before turning her eyes to him. "Yes. “

_ Confusion, a little concern, then sincerity _ . Okay, he could work with that. "How did you know?" To his knowledge, it wasn’t really something you could guess just by looking at him Unless she was able to read thoughts? Was it even possible?

He screamed in his head, as loud as possible, but the woman's face didn't change. Well, maybe she couldn’t reading minds then.

The woman turned to the little girl, who was playing with the seam of her skirt. “Chizu here can see… Hm… People in an alternative form. It allows her, for example, to recognize those who are not just human. ”

He frowned. "How does she see me?"

The little girl raised didn’t raise her head, but answered on her own. “You have a blindfold. There are hands that appear and guide your body. ”

“... Okay.”

He wasn’t sure what he expected. It was a little bit creepy, as far as descriptions go. Alessandro rubbed his arm absently, before dropping down on his bed.

“And you, what are you?”

"A vampire."

"What."

He stared at her, but the young woman only answered him with a smile.

_ Fun _ .

Was she serious?

He could accept psychic powers. He could feel it in his body, and what had happened this afternoon… He couldn't explain it like that.

Her father would  **never** have acted this way.

It was magic, okay ... But that was something else. We were talking about Edward Cullen in his bedroom. Nosferatu. Dracula. Creatures which drained the blood of their prey, which were cold and above all already dead,  _ right _ ?

Wait, when she helped him, at the restaurant, she took his hand, and her skin felt warm, he remembered it clearly.

Okay, she was bluffing.

He narrowed his eyes. "You’re lying."

At his words, Halloween (was that even a real name?) laughed, before opening her mouth.

He saw only normal looking teeth, like his own. Maybe the canines looked a bit sharp, but they weren’t that big... Ah! He knew it.

**Alessandro 1 - Nosferatu 0**

And then, before his very eyes, the two canines began to lengthen, until they almost doubled in length and were looking like they would have no business piercing his skin. Okay, okay ... He doubted a little less now that she was an actual vampire.

It was just ... a little disturbing.

She closed her mouth. She seemed a bit uncomfortable with the soft light of the room, and narrowed her eyes as if it pained her. And now that he was watching her closely ...

Her eyes were no longer blue. Well, it was no longer the same blue. Instead of bright blue, they were more like a bland dark blue, or a purplish warm gray. Her pupils were completely dilated.

"I’m forcing myself a little so that you can see, but it's not very pleasant, so you’ll excuse me ..."

A few seconds later, and she returned to her previous shape, blinking quickly to adjust to the light.

“Okay you… you were right. You are a vampire. Do you drink people's blood? ”

She smiled brightly. “Yes. I drink people's blood, but only from time to time. And I’m always asking first. Consent is important.”

"... Does the sun burn you?"

"You saw me in broad daylight, remember ?"

“And the Holy Cross ? Or Holy water ?"

"No effect whatsoever. However if you throw water in my face for no reason, I might be offended "

"Can you turn others into a vampire?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yes. It's possible."

"What about the whole ‘being invited or else you can’t enter a house’ thing?" He had let her into his room after all.

"Your threshold won't protect you from vampires, sorry."

He couldn't help but laugh a little this time. "I thought so. It sounded weird as a rule. ” Alessandro paused, before resuming, a little more seriously this time. "You did .. something to the old man at noon, and to the waiter. What was it ?"

_ Hesitation _ .

She sighed. “Mental manipulation.”

Alessandro frowned. "Do you .. control people with your mind?"

He didn't really want his thoughts to be touched, and, if he had relaxed with their exchange, he was now alert again.

Halloween noticed it, and he felt a touch of sadness before it was buried down.

“I can influence them, you can say, so that their actions go my way. I can make them believe things that are not necessarily true, like at lunch, and I can encourage them to take certain actions. ”

She looked at him. "I use it mainly for humans, to prevent certain incidents, like this noon. I can't force someone to do something they don't want to do. "

Alessandro avoided her eyes. "My father would never have forgiven me."

"I offered him a version of the story that would allow him to save face and not have problems with the restaurant. And he appeared as an exemplary father to his friends. ”

He felt that she chose her words carefully, and that she was keeping her tone as neutral as possible.

However, he could still feel a part of  _ anger _ ,  _ injustice _ in her.

Again, it was not aimed at him.

He didn't know what to say. They remained silent, but it was not heavy. Just ... sad.

He was angry with himself for reacting like that. She had only helped him.

"Thank you."

Halloween looked genuinely surprised, but then she smiled gently at him. "You’re welcome. Besides, you're not really the best target for mind control. You must have felt it: it blurs your mind, but when I spoke, you could feel that it was not normal. All those who have powers can feel it, and detach themselves from the suggestion. You don't have to worry about that. ”

Alessandro had felt it, it was true. At that time, he had wanted to listen to her voice again and again, but now that he knew the effect of her voice, he thought he might not be affected next time, at least not as much, or could realize that something was wrong.

It was less scary now.

However, there was still one point he wanted to address, and it wasn’t about the… vampiric nature of his guest.

"Are you really here just to chat?"

It wasn’t very likely. She had nothing to gain from admitting to him that she was a vampire, or that he really had powers. If she hadn't come tonight, he would have spent the rest of his life thinking he was special, maybe, but he would have imagined that he was alone in the world. He never would have talked about it, and it's not like his powers manifested physically, unlike her.

Halloween hummed a bit before smiling. "Yes and no." Facing Alessandro's annoyed look, she laughed and resumed, raising her hands to calm him down. "Alright Alright."

She straightened a little, without losing her smile. "I'm here to offer you a place in a school."

He frowned. "A school ?" It sounded odd (hence his worries about being locked up. He liked his freedom, thank you very much), but he didn't feel any lies in his voice. To tell the truth, the feelings he perceived seemed harmless to him. It was mostly  _ calm _ , and a bit of  _ stress _ .

“A school for magical beings. Kind of like Harry Potter, but without the wands. There, you can continue your studies, and at the same time learn a little more about magic, if you wish. ”

Alessandro smiled a little, both amused and sad. He watched Halloween rummage through her little backpack. "It sounds too good to be true, your story."

She stopped, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think is the best option when faced with someone who has just discovered that they have magical powers: leave them alone, and risk them exposing the whole magic community, in addition to potentially injuring people, or educating them so that they understand their powers and know how to use them discreetly? "

Okay, said like that, he could understand that the idea of a school wasn’t so bad.

Halloween offered him a little book. "There is only a very very small part of the population which has powers. Like super tiny part. I saw how men can act with their fellow human companions, just because they don’t have the same color of skin, or the same views about the world. I don't want to be killed for what I am, or locked up in a laboratory. I don't want to be afraid for my children. I think you can understand that. "

He had nothing to answer to that. He felt  _ pain _ and  _ sadness _ through her eyes. He took the book.

_ House Artemesia. _

"This is the name of our school. It will tell you a little bit about how it works, and what to expect if you want to study there.”

Alessandro stroked the cover, but couldn't stop the question from leaving his lips. "What if I don't want to go?"

Halloween shrugged. "If it's because you don't like this school, there are others in the world, and we can see if there is one that suits you better. If you just don't want to study at a magic place... well you don't have to go. "

Alessandro frowned. She was not lying. "What do you mean ?"

Halloween looked at him. "We won't force you. Your power is not very powerful, and the worst you can do is become an ..." She put her hands on Chizu's ears to prevent her from hearing her next word. "... asshole ..." She let her go. "... who manipulates others by reading their emotions. It's more your problem than ours."

"But ... I could tell others about the school."

Halloween smiles sadly. "Do you think someone will believe you?"

He was silent for a few seconds. His father would have him locked up. And even without him ... If he started talking about a vampire, a night visit and a magic school, no one would listen to him.

"... Convenient."

He understood, honestly. If he had so much to lose, he would also take precautions.

She moved on, gently. "I'm going to leave the book with you, okay? Read it. I'll come back in a few days. If you're interested, then we can talk again. I'll take you and other future students to see what the magic world looks like. If you don't want to, we'll stop there. "

She smiled at him, and he nodded. He appreciated that sher gave him time, because it was a lot at once, and he was exhausted.

The little girl also seemed tired, and Halloween got up, before lifting her up in her arms effortlessly. "I’m gonna go. I wish you a good night, Alessandro."

He got up and followed her to the door. "Halloween?"

She stopped and looked at him. "Yes ?"

"Even if I wanted to come ... Father ..."

She smiled at him, with a maternal tenderness he wasn’t used to. "Think about what you want to do with your future. I'll take care of your family. It's my job."

His throat tightened. "Okay. Thank you."

She nodded gently, before disappearing into the shadow of the hallway.

"Welcome to our world, Alessandro."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> In the next chapter, new characters and magical discoveries!


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